To BellaDBS - I would reply to your review directly, but you've been commenting as a guest. I wanted to send a quick thanks your way for your enthusiastic reviews. Thank you!

Even as he flew closer to the location where so many people were actively being killed, Vegeta was having trouble deciphering any ki from the culprit. He initially thought that perhaps it was due to him still being relatively inexperienced in tracking such a thing, but the closer he got to the source the lesser that made sense. Even if he wasn't used to sensing the specific ki of Frieza or his henchmen, he should still be feeling something noteworthy!

All he felt, though, were the neverending traces of aura that were spiking before abruptly disappearing from all senses, as civilians continued to die.

After what felt like, and truly may have been hours, Vegeta narrowed the attack down to an island in the middle of the ocean. He landed a few streets away from where the destruction was currently taking place, in a vicinity that looked like it had already been under attack. He was surrounded by bloody human remains, building with craters blown into them, and strips of land where grass had one blossomed but had now been charred from existence. Trying to gauge the situation before going in for the attack, Vegeta closed his eyes and tried to reach out for the attacker's ki yet again, but he still had no success.

Two streets away were the sounds of screaming, running, falling, and other symptoms of chaos as the terrified civilians tried desperately to get away. Vegeta walked into the alley behind a half-destroyed apartment building as he listened, trying to make out any pattern that would be from the attacker.

"It's awful, isn't it?" A familiar voice asked from deeper into the alley. Vegeta looked up with a growl to see as a short bald man stepped out from the shadows.

"What are you doing here?" The saiyan snapped, clearly unnerved that he was having to speak during a moment like this.

"I could ask the same. Did you finally figure out how to sense ki, or something?" Krillin replied.

"Obviously." Vegeta snapped. "I know enough that I sensed you hovering around the Woman's house for four days!"

"You knew?" Krillin stuttered, a blush creeping up on his cheeks. "I was just trying to make sure she was okay, is all..."

"It doesn't matter right now." The saiyan hissed, pulling Krillin deeper into the alley. "How long have you been here? Tell me what you know!"

"I know enough to understand that they aren't giving off any life auras!" Krillin choked.

"THEY?" Vegeta's eyes widened. This actually made him feel better to hear. It meant that Frieza wasn't here himself, but instead had sent his favorite posse, the Ginyu Force, after him. The saiyan wasn't happy at all, but he stood a far better chance at winning in battle against those blubbering oafs than he would against Frieza. "So it isn't just me – they're somehow disguising their ki." He growled, leaning against the brick wall behind him as began to put together a strategic plan.

"How'd you learn how to sense ki, anyway?" Krillin blinked. "Well anyway... the people doing this… It's these two... Well, I don't know how to describe them, really." He shook his head. "I saw them - they were right in front of me, but I just couldn't... I couldn't attack. There's no way I stand a chance!"

"What color are they?" Vegeta growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. This fool in front of him sure was proving to be absolutely useless with all his blubbering! The sound of the chaos was moving further away as the two men spoke, which the saiyan was noting as odd. Shouldn't those doofs from the Ginyu Force be aware of his presence by now and seeking him out? Why were they moving farther away?

"Umm..." Krillin blinked, as if he were uncomfortable with the question. "I mean... they were the same color as me..."

"As you?" Vegeta nearly yelled. What the hell was this?!

"Yeah, it was some blonde girl and a guy that looked like her twin brother, but he had black hair. They honestly looked like a couple of kids. I thought they were these innocent teenagers until I found out they were the ones killing everybody."

"So it isn't the Ginyu Force?" Vegeta grinned. This news was just getting better and better! Evidently, Frieza still had no idea concerning his whereabouts! He'd take care of those bothersome pests in no time!

"What's the Ginyu- hey! Wait!" Krillin tried to grab for the saiyan as he took off into the air, but Vegeta was too quick. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm going to go discipline some children, and then head back from whence I came!" Vegeta barked. "It's been a while since I've had a good fight. Perhaps you should come watch, and maybe you'll learn a thing or two about dignity!"

The Z-Fighter blinked dumbly at the man who was flying off so confidently. "I tried to warn you..." He muttered, but as soon as the words left his mouth he shook his head. "Hey - wait a minute! Why should I care if he listens? He tried to kill me!" Still, Krillin couldn't deny that he was interested to see if this psychopath truly would have what it took to defeat those two monsters. Reluctantly and carefully, he rose up into the sky and began to follow behind.

.

"This is getting pretty old." The girl muttered, watching lazily as yet another house went up in flames. Her brother had a grin on his face as the people standing around him disbanded in terror, each civilian desperately hoping they'd be the lucky one to survive.

"Please no!" Someone was crying as he grabbed her at random and pulled her back towards him. "Please!"

"I'll let you live if you give me some information, got it?" He replied. "I'm lookin' for a guy named Goku. Got any idea where I can find him?"

"I-" The woman trembled, sobbing hysterically in his hold. "I've never heard that name before!"

"Great." The boy sighed. "Another useless one."

Before the woman had a chance to beg for mercy the boy had lifted his palm to her face. He didn't even warn her before firing a white beam from his hand, her sobs being cut short by the explosion of her brain.

"God, Seventeen!" His sister yelled from behind. "Let's just get out of here. Nobody knows anything, come on!"

"Not until everyone has been questioned, Eighteen." He replied. "Someone has to know something."

"This isn't even fun anymore!" Eighteen rolled her eyes. "Everybody's been saying the same thing. It's so predictable! Where's the excitement in that?"

"Fine." Seventeen kicked the headless body that he'd just dropped. "Let's go interrogate one more street, and then we'll try a different town."

The boy was starting to turn around, wanting to look over at his temperamental sister, but a blast hit him in the back. Seventeen's feet ripped from the Earth as he was thrown back into a nearby car, his figure creating a dent in its body.

Eighteen's eyes widened. Now, she hadn't predicted that!

She could hear a smug chuckle coming from the sky, and she turned to see a muscular man with spiky hair laughing at them.

"The first rule of combat." He called, as he began to lower himself to the ground. "Always be aware of your surroundings..."

Seventeen was pushing himself out from the side of the car. "Hey..." He growled, looking down and noticing that his designer jeans now had a rip in one of the knees. "You messed up my favorite pants…"

"Second rule of combat." Vegeta continued, turning towards Eighteen and smirking at her. She raised an eyebrow, curling a strand of blonde shoulder-length hair around her finger. The saiyan held his hand out towards her now, aiming his palm at her stomach. "... You mustn't start havoc without a plan, child."

"Child?" Eighteen watched as a purple light began to illuminate out of this stranger's palm. She had her hands on her hips, and as the beam began to spray out the towards her, she jumped back. Performing a slow backflip in the air, she calmly dodged the beam without it even grazing her.

"What?" The saiyan growled. What the hell was that?

"We're going to make one thing clear."

He spun around to see that Eighteen was now standing right behind him. Her face was neutral, if not a bit bored, as she looked into his eyes. "I am not a child."

Vegeta swung a punch as her, but she quickly raised a hand to block his attack. In the same motion she shot her knee out towards the saiyan's gut, but he lifted his own leg to block that. He swung another fist with his other arm, and Eighteen quickly deflected it - just as she'd done with the first one. 'She's so fast!' Vegeta thought as the two continued dodging each other's assaults.

"Hey, you still bored, Eighteen?" Seventeen was calling from behind. He had a laugh in his voice, clearly finding amusement from this ordeal. Eighteen's face had become a bit more strained than it had been before the punches started being thrown, but she was still blocking all hits with no apparent effort whatsoever. "Meh. It's alright." She replied. But she spoke too soon, her lip curling as Vegeta's knuckles finally came into contact with her solar plexus. She didn't even scream as she went flying back, slamming into a nearby light-pole.

"Third rule of combat." Vegeta was a bit more winded than he would have liked to admit, but he still smirked. He now turned towards Seventeen and shook a condescending finger at him. "Don't ever engage in battle with the prince of all saiyans."

"Hm." Seventeen kicked himself from the car he'd been leaning on. "Saiyan, you say?"

"Think he's the one?" Eighteen called, walking back from where she'd been. Vegeta lifted an eyebrow, turning back towards the blonde girl. She was already back on her feet?! He'd given these two a beating just now! Why were they both so calm and unscathed?

"Tell me something." Seventeen said. "You don't happen to be named Goku, do you?"

"Goku?" Vegeta growled, raising his fists. The two were walking up to him from different directions, and he was twisting back and forth to make sure one of them wasn't going to try a surprise attack.

"Yeah. We've got a score to settle with him. Know him?"

"Know him?" The saiyan turned around to make sure the blonde girl wasn't going to throw an attack while his back was turned. He began to chuckle now, which gradually transitioned into a full blown laugh. "Do I know him? He's dead, you morons! Your precious Goku is dead!"

"Hm." The boy put his hands on his hips. "Think he's tellin' the truth?" Seventeen looked up to his sister, seemingly unbothered by the saiyan's mocking words.

"Hm." Eighteen shrugged. "Maybe."

They began to step closer to the saiyan, who was still laughing manically as he yelled more insults at them.

"You could be lying…" Seventeen commented.

"… Or maybe Goku really is dead." Eighteen finished.

"Either way, I think we'll have our fun with you for now. Then we'll go find out if he really is dead."

Vegeta stopped laughing as the two closed in on him. "You idiots…" He growled, readying his pose. "I've already told you rule number three."

He swung around and fired a blast at Seventeen, who he'd had his back turned to a moment earlier. As soon as he did this the boy faded from view, and Vegeta felt a stabbing pain in his rib instead. His eyes widened, only one word coming to mind.

'Shit.'

.

It was nearing 11 P.M., and Bulma just couldn't sleep. She was curled up in the plush bed in the capsule home - the one that Vegeta had taken over during their journey a few weeks earlier. It was ironic that she had so painfully wished she could be the one in that bed during her uncomfortable nights of sleeping on the couch, but now that she had it, it just didn't feel right.

Bulma had done exactly as Vegeta had told her. As soon as he left, the only thing that would settle her anxiety was preparing for the possible trip. She'd thrown together countless supplies, which included items for the saiyan in case he really catch up to her. Non-perishable food, stacks of clothes (including the sets that had been made for Vegeta), items to fix up the gravity room in case they needed it, toolkits, a work laptop and miscellaneous materials that could be used in case she needed to design something new during her time away. She'd prepared everything she could think of, fearing the absolute worse and not knowing when she'd be able to return home.

And, as the sun began to lower in the sky, so did Bulma's heart in her chest. It was starting to become clear that Vegeta wouldn't be returning, just like he'd predicted, and she knew exactly what that meant. She would need to resume the search for the dragonballs, and she'd be doing it alone. With how grim things had sounded just before he'd left her in the garage, Bulma could only fear that he might be dead. There was no reason to assume Vegeta was still alive, not after what he'd told her. Yet she just couldn't bring herself to leave his items behind, so she had stowed them in the capsule house before taking off in her jet.

She'd tried to call Krillin to ask him to join her, but she couldn't get in contact with him. The same went for Yamcha, who normally would have been eager to receive any type of phone call from her. Bulma had to go on this trip with absolutely nobody by her side, and it wasn't an easy thing for her to do.

The farewell from her parents had been surreal. They had refused to join her for her quest. The Bluehead, not even knowing what was laying ahead or what would happen while she was away, had been incredibly conflicted. Would it be safer for her parents to stay, or go? If the person who was after Vegeta had truly shown up on Earth, would he even know anything about her? He might be coming after her as soon as he finished with the saiyan!

… Yet he might not be seeking her or her family out at all - it was possible that he only wanted Vegeta, and him alone.

…But he had destroyed an entire planet!

What if, after he'd successfully completed his goals, that monster did the same to Earth?

The Bluehead didn't feel safe at all, now laying in her fluffy bed and staring at the moonlit window. She was still exhausted from the sleepless 12 days she had spent working on the gravity room, but the dreadful anxiety telling her that any breath she took might be her last had been keeping her wide awake. Her back felt vulnerable, as if someone might sneak up behind her at any second. And yet she couldn't peel her eyes away from the window, terrified that at any possible moment it might light up with a blinding flash just before an explosion stole her last breath - much like a nuclear blast probably would...

"Kami," She whispered, pulling the covers up to her ears and peeking out from underneath them. "I can't believe he may not be alive..." It was amazing how she could feel so hypersensitive from the anxiety, yet so incredibly numb at the same time... Was Vegeta really dead?

Something made her tighten her grasp on the blanket. She thought she'd just heard a thud coming from inside the house. She bit her lip, hoping that it must be her paranoia playing tricks on her. Listening for any sign of activity, Bulma waited to see if any other noises would be made. But only silence rippled through the halls, and after nearly a minute of holding her breath the Bluehead sighed.

'I need to just go to sleep.' She thought, still unable to take her eyes off the window in front of her. 'I'm just getting nervous because it's so late...'

But there it was again! Another thud was heard, this time even louder. Bulma sat upright, throwing the blankets off her body as her breath caught in her throat. This time she just knew it was real!

"Oh god. Oh god." She panted, looking to the bedroom door with wide eyes. What could it be – who could it be? This moment only seemed to magnify Vegeta's painful absence. Oh, how she wished he was here! She hadn't even been terrified at the aspect of intruders during their time together! He'd easily be able to take care of anyone that decided to impose on her at night... She wouldn't have to be so afraid if Vegeta was nearby!

She scurried out of bed, feeling around in the darkness for the bag of capsules she'd left on the floor. After finding the one that held her clunky crossbow, she tip-toed into the dark living room with her weapon balanced on her shoulder. It was heavy, and she could only shoot once before having to reload, but her crossbow was an intimidating sight and would no doubt produce painful wounds.

Another thud could be heard at the door. Someone was wriggling the doorknob, obviously trying to get in. Bulma kneeled behind the couch and stared at the house's entrance, readying herself to fire as soon as the door swung open.

And, as the Bluehead watched, it finally did. A loud crackling sound began to ring as the door was ripped from its hinges. Bulma's mouth dropped open and she readied her finger on the trigger of the crossbow. Whoever was breaking in was strong, no doubt. It really might be the one who had come after Vegeta! He must have found out about her!

'I don't stand a chance!' She thought, her mouth going dry as her knuckles began to shake. 'Come on, Bulma… get it together… aim for the head… at least give him some pain…'

With one last rip the door flew back, and in its place stood the familiar silhouette of a sharp flame of hair. "Oh my god!" Bulma screamed in horror, but it was too late. Her finger had already locked in on the trigger, and there was now an arrow flying straight for the saiyan prince. Perhaps it was a good thing that her hand had been trembling, for her aim had been off and he was struck in the left shoulder instead of the head.

She heard him groan loudly, and then he slid back into the door frame. Bulma threw the crossbow down and jumped to turn on the light, moving so frantically that she nearly tripped three times. "Oh – oh no! Vegeta!"

A line of blood was smeared on the doorframe from where he slid to the floor. He was sitting now, his eyes locked shut as he panted. His armor had been shattered, half of his torso open and exposed. His chin and neck were blanketed with dry blood, and there a line of red curling from his ear down to his jaw. In his lap was a limp arm, white bone sticking out in two different places. He groaned again, reaching up with his good hand and grabbing at the arrow that was protruding from his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!" Bulma breathed, choking back tears from the sight of him. She turned and made for the bedroom. "Let me get something! Oh jeez… oh jeez…"

"Wait…" Vegeta grunted, panting deeply as his grip tightened around the arrow. With a breathless croak he pulled it out before flinging the bloody tool across the room with a loud clang. Blood was now freely oozing from his shoulder, trailing down his torso, and splattering onto his broken arm.

The Bluehead came running back with a duffel bag in tow, throwing it down beside him. She frantically began to dig through it, unable to even breathe as she searched over its contents.

"Bulma…" He gasped, trying to straighten his posture. His voice was ragged, and he had to take deep breaths with every few words he said. "I have mortal wounds… I didn't know if I would even make it to you."

"Ssh. Hold on." She replied, the tears in her eyes blurring her vision as she fished through the bag.

"I need you to know. I was thinking about what you said to me before I left…" He was panting as he spoke. The saiyan had used up most of his strength just by flying to her, but he'd be damned if he died now without first telling her what he wanted to share.

"It's going to be alright, just hang on, okay? Kami, Veggie… I'm so sorry I shot you… I'm so sorry…"

"I'm glad you did…" He laughed, though it came out as a cough. "I could have been Frieza. You did the right thing…"

He put a bloody hand on her thigh, trying to stop her from what she was doing. He wanted her to pay attention. But Bulma didn't seem to take notice, now reaching both arms into the bag as she sighed. Oh, why did it seem that she only had trouble finding what she was looking for when the situation was dire?!

"Listen." He said. "I'm not someone you should be so accepting of. I've done terrible things, Woman."

"Please stop." She was sniffling now, shaking her head and trying to rid the tears from her eyes so she could see what she was doing better.

"You asked me before how someone could murder an entire planet full of civilians… You need to know that I've done it. I've done it too many times to count, and I'd easily do it again if the situation rose."

Bulma bit her lip. She picked up the duffel bag and gave it a firm shake out of frustration.

"I've never shown mercy. Not even when I was begged. I could have spared so many lives, but instead I took pleasure in ending them. I've slaughtered entire species, murdering them all one-by-one…" His head dropped back, and he opened his eyes to look up at the ceiling. "That's what saiyans do, and it's what Frieza's army does… We destroy lives… We purge planets… And we do it without a second thought. We are the face and bones of absolute evil…"

"Frieza is the one who killed your people?" Bulma questioned breathlessly. She finally turned the bag over, emptying its contents on the floor.

"Yes…" He coughed. "And I have destroyed countless others. I need you to know the truth. I'm merciless and cold… Bulma…" He groaned. "I shouldn't have yelled at you earlier. I shouldn't have kissed you... I shouldn't have even taken you prisoner the way I did. You don't need to be involved in all this... This is my mess that I created, and it's mine alone."

"Please stop."

"I..." He gasped, putting a hand to his shoulder as he groaned in pain. "I just overheard you talking about those dragonballs, and... I… I needed you... I thought this was my one chance to..."

"Shh..." Bulma was trembling as she audibly sobbed. "Please. You're suffering from major blood loss... Just don't speak anymore."

"You have to wish me back. I don't want you to trust me, or to even like me. But I need to take care of Frieza. I can't let him bring harm to-"

"Found it!" Bulma announced so shrilly that it nearly made Vegeta's ears ring. She grabbed a small pouch that she'd been searching desperately for, and she fiercely tore it open. She turned, holding something small in her hand for him. "Eat this."

Vegeta turned to face the Woman for the first time since he'd started with his confessions. She was looking at him with those wide blue eyes of hers, holding something out towards his face. Between her fingers was what appeared to be a tiny bean. Pathetically small and green, she was offering it to him as if this would solve all their current problems. In a moment of death, she was gifting him with a single bean…?

The saiyan's eyes crinkled into a pained grin, and he began to laugh.

It came out a cough, and the more he laughed, the more he choked. This woman really had a way of amusing him, even in the most hopeless of moments.

"Hurry!" She breathed. "Eat it up quick!"

Vegeta pulled the bean from her hold and looked it over. Fresh blood was pooling from his lungs as he coughed, and it was now sputtering down his chin. "You're actually pretty cute." He wheezed, and Bulma couldn't tell whether or not this was meant to be an insult. "I am on death's door, and you offer me a single bean." He popped it in his grinning mouth then, taking his time with chewing. His chest was still quivering with the need to burst out in a fit of laughter at the irony of the situation, but he fought back the urge.

"You told me you've thought about what I said earlier, but obviously you didn't listen to any of it..." Bulma smiled softly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I refuse to accept things at face value, and neither should you…"

He gulped then, the bean sliding down his esophagus and into his stomach. Even before it hit his digestive organ, the plant was already surging through his bloodstream. His muscles tightened as energy sparked through them. Vegeta gasped out loud as the bones protruding from his arm quickly slid back in, his skin tightening as his wounds clotted over.

It was so overwhelming that he jumped to his feet, trying not to scream from the shock of it all. His heart felt like it was going to fly from his chest, his mind racing and his head no longer heavy. Wide eyed and breathing with much more ease, Vegeta lifted his hands and looked down at them, his palms quivering as they jittered with newfound life. "What…"

"You aren't going to die tonight." Bulma sighed with relief, and now she was the one to fall back. Vegeta had been so consumed by laughter, which seemed to be making his condition worse, that the Bluehead had thought for a moment that he might call her ridiculous and throw the bean out the door. That, or she'd thought he would bleed out before he had the chance to even consume the plant. Thank goodness he had actually listened to her! He'd actually taken the bean!

"What was that you gave me?" He panted. His voice was no longer strained, and he once again speaking with ease. "I feel stronger than ever!"

"It's called a senzu bean." She replied. "I don't need to explain what it does, do I? We need to ration them from now on, I only have four left…"

"Amazing…" He shook. "Absolutely amazing."

.

Half an hour later Bulma had finished scrubbing all of the blood away from the floor and wall. She'd given Vegeta a new set of clothes and had also changed out of her own, which had gotten dirty from where the saiyan had touched her.

"Well, of everything I brought with me, I didn't foresee needing a spare set of hinges." She sighed, standing in the open doorway and looking out into the darkness outside. "We'll have to cover this up for the night, and I'll find a supply shop tomorrow to make the repairs to the door."

"Let me do it." Vegeta said before retrieving the door from where it lay in the grass. He jammed it back into its opening, blocking off the house from the night outside. When he finished and turned around he saw that Bulma was already setting a pillow and blanket on the couch. "The bedroom is ready for you. The blanket might be a little messed up, but-"

"Don't worry about it." He interrupted. "I'll stay out here for the night."

The Bluehead paused in what she was doing so she could look up at him with a twisted face. "But..."

"Woman, have you ever had one of those beans before? I have more than enough energy, and I'll be up all night. I don't need the bed."

She bit her lip when he said this, clearly not having expected this exchange.

"This is your house." Vegeta sighed, walking over to the couch and taking a seat on it. "That is your room. Now go in there."

She raised an eyebrow, looking towards the room slowly before turning back to him. "This is kind of weird…"

"I don't want to repeat myself again." He groaned. "Look. Woman. I might have been half alive when I said it, but I meant everything. I shouldn't have done this to you. I'm not..." He screwed his eyebrows as he searched for the words he wanted to use. "Look, just consider yourself free. I no longer wish to regard you as someone I have taken captive. Leave tomorrow, if that's what you want, but... I don't think it would be in your best interest. I will explain in the morning. I just ask, if you do go, that you leave the dragon radar with me... This is your house, and you will do as you will in it. I'll stay on the couch."

Bulma's mouth dropped open at this, but still no words came out. She looked utterly surprised, turning to look towards the room once more. "You're crazy if you expect me to just be able to go to sleep after everything that just happened!"

"Just try." Vegeta replied. "I'll be out here, and if anything tries to come in through that broken door I'll take care of them. Now get to bed."

The Bluehead raised an incredulous eyebrow as she looked him over, and for a moment the saiyan thought she was going to yell something familiar about how he couldn't tell her what to do. But instead she sighed, finally turning and walking out of the living room.

Seeing that she was finally gone allowed the saiyan to exhale a breath of relief, the events of the day playing over in his mind at an irritating speed. "It isn't as if I ever had control over her in the first place." The saiyan muttered, thinking back on all the moments Bulma had given him attitude and lip during their time together. He dropped his head back and took in another deep breath, shaking his head as if this would rid him of his haunting thoughts.

He couldn't believe what had happened today. He'd initially worried about all of the consequences that would come to Bulma if Frieza or one of his men had learned about her. But now the saiyan couldn't wrap his brain around what had ended up happening instead - those two kids had beaten him to a bloody mess, and then left him when they thought he was dead. He just couldn't fathom how brutally worthless he felt when he'd managed to pick his heavy body up and start flying towards the direction where he felt the Bluehead's ki.

He'd have expected such a sensation after a battle with Frieza – but to be brought to such a low by a couple of kids?

"Maybe Bulma is on to something about not accepting things at face value…" Vegeta groaned, shaking his head again.

He was fairly certain that this was going to be one of the longest nights of his life…